Power seat track having a flexible support assembly for a lead screw

ABSTRACT

A powered track assembly ( 20 ) is provided for allowing selective forward and rearward adjustment of a seat assembly ( 10 ) along an interior floor of an automotive vehicle. The upper track ( 24 ) is fixedly secured to a bottom portion of the seat assembly ( 10 ). A rigid shaft ( 32 ) having a generally continuous helical thread ( 38 ) is rotatably supported by the upper track ( 24 ). A plurality of nuts ( 40 ) is threadingly engaged with the shaft ( 32 ). A cage ( 42 ) having a plurality of compartments ( 58 ) is fixedly secured to the lower track ( 22 ). Each compartment ( 58 ) supports one nut ( 40 ) to allow relative rotational movement of the rigid shaft ( 32 ) relative to the nuts ( 40 ). The nuts ( 40 ) are allowed a predetermined amount of movement within the respective compartments ( 58 ) to prevent binding between the nuts ( 40 ) and the rigid shaft ( 32 ) due to relative lateral or vertical movement between the upper and lower tracks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a seat track for an automotive vehicle seat,and more particularly, to a flexible support assembly for supporting alead screw within the seat track.

2. Description of the Related Art

Automotive vehicles include seat assemblies for supporting occupantsabove an interior floor of the vehicle. The seat assembly typicallyincludes a generally horizontal seat cushion and a generally uprightseat back coupled to the seat cushion for selective adjustment of theseat back relative to the seat cushion between a plurality of reclinedpositions. The seat assembly also typically includes a track assemblycoupled between the seat cushion and the floor of the vehicle to allowlinear forward and rearward movement of the seat cushion along the floorof the vehicle.

The track assembly typically includes a lower track fixedly secured tothe floor of the vehicle and an upper track sidably coupled to the lowertrack and fixedly secured to a bottom portion of the seat cushion. It iswell known in the seating art to provide a powered track assembly havinga lead screw mechanism driven by an electric motor for moving the uppertrack relative to the lower track. However, conventional powered trackassemblies are known to be susceptible to binding, noise or otherwiseerratic operation of the lead screw mechanism due to generally lateralor vertical loading or pre-loading of the upper track relative to thelower track. Such loading or pre-loading can be caused by dimensionalvariations in the floor of the vehicle, shifting of occupant weight onthe seat assembly, or other vehicle accelerations or road inputsassociated with normal driving conditions.

Thus, it remains desirable to provide a powered seat track assemblyhaving a lead screw mechanism or drive assembly that provides smooth andquiet adjustment of the upper track relative to the lower track underlateral or vertical loading or pre-loading conditions associated withnormal driving conditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention, a track assembly is providedfor selective forward and rearward adjustment of a seat assembly along afloor of an automotive vehicle. The track assembly includes a lowertrack fixedly secured to the floor of the vehicle and an upper trackslidably coupled with the lower track and fixedly secured to the seatassembly. A shaft is rotatably supported by the upper track and has ahelical thread formed thereon. A nut is threadingly engaged with thehelical thread of the shaft. A cage is fixedly secured to the lowertrack and has a compartment for supporting the nut therein to allowrelative rotational movement of the shaft relative to the nut to causein response sliding displacement of the upper track relative to thelower track. The compartment allows a predetermined amount of movementof the nut within the compartment to prevent binding between the rigidshaft and the nut due to loading of the upper track relative to thelower track.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as thesame becomes better understood by reference to the following detaileddescription when considered in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a seat assembly incorporating a powered seattrack assembly according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the powered seat track assembly;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a drive assembly of the powered seattrack assembly;

FIG. 4 is a side cross sectional view of the drive assembly;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the drive assembly;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an insulator within the drive assembly;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the drive assembly;

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a nut in the drive assembly, and

FIG. 9 is a partial view of a guide in the drive assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TEE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the figures, a seat assembly is generally indicated as 10in FIG. 1 for supporting an occupant above a floor in an automotivevehicle. The seat assembly 10 includes a seat cushion 12. A trackassembly 20 extends between the seat cushion 12 and the floor of thevehicle for allowing selective forward and rearward adjustment of theseat cushion 12 within the vehicle.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 8, the track assembly 20 includes a lowertrack 22 fixedly secured to the floor of the vehicle by bolts 23. Anupper track 24 is fixedly secured to the bottom of the seat cushion 12and slidably coupled to the lower track 22 for forward or rearwardsliding adjustment of the seat cushion 12 relative to the floor of thevehicle. Described in greater detail below, a drive assembly 30 iscoupled between the lower 22 and upper 24 tracks for forwardly orrearwardly driving the upper track 24 relative to the lower track 22 inresponse to a rotary input.

The drive assembly 30 includes a rigid shaft 32 having first 34 andsecond 36 ends rotatably supported by the upper track 24 for rotation ofthe rigid shaft 32 about a longitudinal axis of the rigid shaft 32. Therigid shaft 32 includes a generally continuous helical thread 38 formedbetween the first 34 and second 36 ends of the rigid shaft 32. The driveassembly 30 includes at least one nut 40. Each nut 40 includes ahelically threaded bore 41 for engaging the helical thread 38 of therigid shaft 32 during rotation of the rigid shaft 32 relative to eachnut 40. The engagement of the helical threads 38 and the threaded bore41 converts rotational torque applied to the rigid shaft 32 into anaxial thrust load applied to the rigid shaft 32. Each nut 40 is securedto the lower track 22 by a cage 42. The cage 42 prevents rotation ofeach nut 40 about the longitudinal axis of the rigid shaft 32 andaxially secures each nut 40 to the lower track so that the axial thrustload resulting from rotation of the rigid shaft 32 relative to each nut40 causes axial displacement of the rigid shaft 32 and the upper track24 relative to the lower track 22. The direction of rotation of therigid shaft 32 determines the forward or rearward axial thrust load uponthe rigid shaft 32 and, hence, the forward or rearward displacement ofthe upper track 24 relative to the lower track 22. Preferably, as shownin the figures, a plurality of nuts 40 is included to increase the loadcarrying capacity of the drive assembly 30.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a cage 42 extends between top 44 and bottom46 surfaces and first and second ends 48, 50. Bolts (not shown) extendthrough the lower track 22 and the bottom surface 46 of the cage 42 tofixedly secure the cage 42 to the lower track 22. An opening 52 isformed in the top surface 44 defining a receptacle 54 within the cage42. A plurality of walls 56 divide the receptacle 54 into compartments58. Bach compartment 58 nestingly supports one nut 40 therein. A bore 60extends through the first and second ends 48, 50 and the walls 56 of thecage 42 to allow the rigid shaft 32 to pass therethrough. An elasticinsulator 62, shown in FIG. 6, is adapted to be sandwiched between thecage 42 and the nuts 40 to minimize vibration and noise. Preferably, theelastic insulator 62 is molded from an elastomeric material. Inassembly, the nuts 40 are supported within the respective compartments58 such that the threaded bores 41 are generally aligned with the bore60 in the cage 42. The rigid shaft 32 extends through the bore 60 of thecage 42 and remains continuously threadingly engaged with the threadedbores 41 of the nuts 40. The nuts 40 remain movable within thecompartment 58 to accommodate movement due to spacing between the lower22 and upper 24 tracks and to help prevent binding between the rigidshaft 32 and the nuts 40 due to such movement.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, each nut 40 includes opposite lateral sides64 having a gimbaled or raised bump 66 to allow angular movement of thenut 40 relative to the cage 42 and the rigid shaft 32 about an axis (notshown) generally normal to the longitudinal axis of the rigid shaft 32to accommodate movement due to spacing between the lower 22 and upper 24tracks and to help prevent binding between the rigid shaft 32 and thenuts 40 due to such movement.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 7 and 9, the drive assembly 30 also includesa flexible shaft 70 extending between a first end 72 coupled to thefirst end 34 of the rigid shaft 32 and a second end 76 coupled to atransmission 74 for translating the rotary input into rotationalmovement of the flexible shaft 70. The first ends 34, 72 of the rigidshaft 32 and flexible shaft 70 are in splined engagement or keyed in arotary sense such the rigid shaft 32 rotates with the flexible shaft 70.Preferably, the rotary input is provided by an electric motor 80, asknown by those of ordinary skill in the art. Alternatively, a hand wheelmay be coupled to the transmission 74 to allow manual rotary input bythe occupant of the seat assembly 10.

The first ends 34, 72 of the rigid shaft 32 and flexible shaft 70 areaxially held together by a housing or guide 90 fixedly secured to theupper track 24. The guide 90 includes a guide bore 92 extending betweenfirst 91 and second 93 guide ends for receiving the first ends 34, 72 ofthe rigid 32 and flexible 70 shafts, respectively, therethrough. A bead95, 96 is fixedly secured to each first end 72 of the rigid 32 andflexible shafts 70 to help guide the first ends 34, 72 through the guidebore 92 and into splined engagement. The beads 95, 96 also help to keepthe first ends 34, 72 aligned during rotation of the rigid 32 andflexible 70 shafts.

The guide 90 also includes an abutment wall 97 formed within a portionof the guide bore 92 between the first 91 and second 93 guide ends. Thefirst end 34 of the rigid shaft 32 extends through the guide bore 92 inthe first guide end 91 and protrudes beyond the abutment wall 97 into amiddle portion of the guide bore 92. While in the middle portion of theguide bore 92, the first end 34 of the rigid shaft 32 is presented forsplined engagement with the first end 72 of the flexible shaft. Aretaining pin 98 extends through the rigid shaft 32 between the abutmentwall 97 and the first end 34 of the rigid shaft 32 to retain the firstend 34 of the rigid shaft 32 within the guide bore 92. A spring washer100 is mounted on the rigid shaft 32 between the abutment wall 97 andthe retaining pin 98 for providing an axial pre-load between thethreaded bores 41 of the nuts 40 and the helical thread 38 of the rigidshaft 32.

In use, the occupant of the seat assembly 10 operates a switch (notshown), as commonly known by those skilled in the art, to energize theelectric motor 80. The electric motor 80 provides the rotary input tothe transmission 74 to cause rotational movement of the flexible shaft70. With the first ends 34, 72 of the rigid 32 and flexible 70 shafts insplined engagement, the rigid shaft 32 rotates with the flexible shaft70. The helical thread 38 of the rigid shaft 32 threadingly engages thethreaded bores 41 of the nuts 40 to cause axial displacement of therigid shaft 32 relative to the nuts 40 and, in turn, sliding movement ofthe upper track 24 relative to the lower track 22. The direction of thesliding movement of the upper track 24 relative to the lower track 22depends on the direction of rotation of the rigid shaft 32 relative tothe nuts 40.

A predetermined amount of free movement of the nuts 40 within therespective compartments 58 due in combination to the opening 52 in thetop surface 44 of the cage 42, the raised bumps 66 on the lateral sides64 of the nuts 40, and the elastic insulator 62 allows off-axis movementbetween the lower 22 and upper 24 tracks without binding or hinderingthreaded engagement between the rigid shaft 32 and the nuts 40.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is tobe understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended tobe in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Many modification and variations of the present invention are possiblein light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood thatwithin the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practicedother than as specifically described.

1. A track assembly (20) for providing selective forward and rearward adjustment of a seat assembly (10) along a floor of an automotive vehicle, the track assembly (20) comprising: a lower track (22) adapted to be secured to the floor of the vehicle; an upper track (24) adapted to be secured to the seat assembly (10), the upper track (24) slidably coupled with the lower track (22); a rigid shaft (32) having a helical thread (38) formed thereon, the rigid shaft (32) rotatably supported by the upper track (24); at least one nut (40) engaged with the helical thread (38) of the rigid shaft (32), the at least one nut (40) having raised bumps (66) disposed on opposing lateral sides (64) thereof; and a cage (42) secured to the lower track (22), the cage (42) having at least one compartment (58) for supporting the at least one nut (40) therein, the cage (42) allowing relative rotational movement of the rigid shaft (32) relative to the at least one nut (40) for displacing the upper track (24) relative to the lower track (22), the at least one compartment (58) interacting with the raised bumps (66) of the at least one nut (40) thereby allowing a predetermined amount of movement of the at least one nut (40) within the at least one compartment (58) for preventing binding between the rigid shaft (32) and the at least one nut (40) due to loading of the upper track (24) relative to the lower track (22).
 2. The track assembly (20) of claim 1 wherein the at least one nut (40) comprises a plurality of nuts (40).
 3. The track assembly (20) of claim 1 wherein the cage (42) includes a hole (52) formed in a top surface (44) of the cage (42) defining a receptacle (54) for receiving the at least one nut (40).
 4. The track assembly (20) of claim 3 wherein the receptacle (54) includes a plurality of walls (56) spaced from each other defining the at least one compartment (58).
 5. The track assembly (20) of claim 1 further including a bore (60) formed in end walls (48, 50) and the plurality of spaced walls (56) of the cage (42) for allowing the rigid shaft (32) to extend therethrough.
 6. The track assembly (20) of claim 1 further including a flexible shaft (70) connected to a transmission (74) for transferring rotational input into rotational movement of the flexible shaft (70).
 7. The track assembly (20) of claim 1 wherein a first end (72) of the flexible shaft (70) is connected to a first end (34) of the rigid shaft (32).
 8. The track assembly (20) of claim 1 further including a housing (90) secured to the upper track (24) for axially connecting the rigid shaft (32) and the flexible shaft (70).
 9. The track assembly (20) of claim 1 wherein the housing (90) includes a guide bore (92) formed between ends (91, 93) of the housing (90) for receiving the first ends (34, 72) of the rigid (32) and flexible (70) shafts.
 10. The track assembly (20) of claim 1 wherein the rigid and flexible shafts (32, 70) include a bead (95, 96) formed thereon proximate the first ends (34, 72) for aligning the rigid (32) and flexible (70) shafts to maintain engagement during rotation.
 11. The track assembly (20) of claim 1 wherein the housing (90) includes an abutment wall (97) formed within the guide bore (92) between the ends (91, 93) of the housing (90).
 12. The track assembly (20) of claim 1 including a retaining pin (98) extending through the rigid shaft (32) in a position between the abutment wall (97) and the first end (34) of the rigid shaft (32) for maintaining the rigid shaft (32) within the guide bore (92).
 13. The track assembly (20) of claim 1 including a spring washer (100) mounted about the rigid shaft (32) between the abutment wall (97) and the retaining pin (98) for providing an axial preload between the at least one nut (40) and the helical thread (38) of the rigid shaft (32).
 14. The track assembly (20) of claim 1 further including an elastic insulator (62) disposed between the cage (42) and at least one nut (40) for minimizing noise and vibration between the at least one nut (40) and cage (42).
 15. A track assembly (20) for providing selective forward and rearward adjustment of a seat assembly (10) along a floor of an automotive vehicle, the track assembly (20) comprising: a lower track (22) adapted to be secured to the floor of the vehicle; an upper track (24) adapted to be secured to the seat assembly (10), the upper track (24) slidably coupled with the lower track (22); a rigid shaft (32) having a helical thread (38) formed thereon, the rigid shaft (32) rotatably supported by the upper track (24); a flexible shaft (70) connected to a transmission (74) at one end and to the rigid shaft (32) at another end; at least one nut (40) engaged with the helical thread (38) of the rigid shaft (32), the at least one nut (40) having raised bumps (66) disposed on opposing lateral sides (64) thereof; and a cage (42) secured to the lower track (22), the cage (42) having at least one compartment (58) for supporting the at least one nut (40) therein, the cage (42) allowing relative rotational movement of the rigid shaft (32) relative to the at least one nut (40) for displacing the upper track (24) relative to the lower track (22), the at least one compartment (58) interacting with the raised bumps (66) of the at least one nut (40) thereby allowing a predetermined amount of movement of the at least one nut (40) within the at least one compartment (58) for preventing binding between the rigid shaft (32) and the at least one nut (40) due to loading of the upper track (24)relative to the lower track (22). 